It is known that alpha-arylacrylonitriles are useful as chemical intermediates and that they can be prepared in various ways. For example, Jacobs et al., Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1983, Vol. 48, pp. 5134-5135, teach that 6-methoxy-1-cyano-3,4-dihydronaphthalene is useful as an intermediate in the synthesis of steroids and that it can be prepared by (1) the addition of diethylaluminum cyanide to 6-methoxytetralone followed by dehydration or (2) the addition of cyanotrimethylsilane to 6-methoxytetralone followed by treatment with phosphoryl chloride in pyridine. As taught by Jacobs et al., the former method of synthesizing their alpha-arylacrylonitrile is impractical for large scale operations, and the latter method requires two steps.
Copending application Ser. No. 676,479, filed Nov. 29, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,343, in the name of V. Ramachandran, teaches that alpha-arylacrylonitriles can be prepared by reacting an aryl ketone having a removable hydrogen alpha to the carbonyl group with an alkali metal cyanide and aluminum chloride. Copending application Ser. No. 724,474, filed April 18, 1985, in the names of Ramachandran, Davidson, and Maloney teaches that 6-alkoxy-1-cyano-3,4-dihydronaphthalenes can be prepared by reacting a 6-alkoxytetralone with a cyanide ion source which is free of radicals that would stabilize a cyanohydrin corresponding to the 6-alkoxytetralone and with a Lewis acid, optionally in the presence of a small amount of water and/or concentrated HCl.